In recent years there has been a proliferation of personal electronic appliances that are typically designed to be portable and carried for continuously available use. Examples of such appliances are cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, and Digital Versatile Disc (DVD) players. In general these appliances are powered by batteries. While it is possible to carry spare batteries, this is often inconvenient for the user and requires additional expenditures. Most batteries in such appliances are rechargeable. Often there are optional means provided for recharging the batteries, such as adapters for automobile cigarette lighters and adapters for household electrical current recharging. However, such existing technology does not meet the needs of many users of personal electronic devices. For example, in many circumstances the user does not have access to such sources of power when such power is needed for recharging batteries. What is needed therefore is a portable means for recharging the batteries of personal electronic appliances. It would be particularly helpful if the means were independent of additional devices or sources of energy. It would also be helpful if the means were integrated into a user's other needs related to the use of the electronic appliance, such as storing or carrying the electronic appliance.